10 Features Every Contemporary Style Kitchen Must Have

Contemporary kitchens are sleek and stylish, focusing on modern functionality and minimalist elegance. If you like clean lines, crisp color schemes, and open floor plans, this simple yet sophisticated kitchen style is sure to appeal to you.

From flat-front cabinets and stainless steel appliances to boxy islands and smooth stone countertops, here are 10 essential elements to include in any contemporary kitchen remodel.

1. Stainless Steel Appliances

No contemporary kitchen would be complete without the inclusion of shiny stainless steel appliances. Pairing them with dark mahogany or black cabinets will help them really pop.

If you have the space and it’s within your budget, consider incorporating a commercial-grade fridge or an oversized gas range for a high-end industrial feel – or bring the style and convenience of modern technology into your space by opting for the latest smart appliances.

2. Slab-Style Doors

Slab-style (or “flat-panel”) cabinet doors are another hallmark of contemporary kitchen design. Their sleek, uniform appearance contributes to the simple lines and minimalist feel of the space and allows other elements – like metallic hardware, industrial light fixtures, or a patterned backsplash – to really stand out.

3. Bar Seating

Contemporary home design embraces open-concept, multifunctional spaces. A large kitchen island with pendant lighting and bar-style seating not only gives you additional options for dining and entertaining, but it can also help create a seamless transition between your kitchen and your dining area or living room.

4. Clean Lines

Part of what gives contemporary kitchens their sleek, modern feel is the style’s use of strong, clean lines. Opting for flat-front cabinets, boxy islands, and built-in appliances, while also limiting countertop gadgets and decorations, can help contribute to this sleek, simple, and stylish effect.

5. A Variety of Materials

Contemporary kitchen designs are unique from other styles in that they mix together natural and manufactured materials in novel and unconventional ways. Combining materials like natural wood, metal, concrete, glass, stone, and stainless steel creates texture and adds dimension to the space.

6. Bar-Style Hardware

Bar-style hardware is another staple of contemporary kitchens. Hardware is an important design element in every style of kitchen, but often gets overlooked. Although each individual piece of hardware may be small, the hardware you choose helps shape your kitchen’s overall aesthetic in fundamental ways.

Sleek, metallic hardware – especially when paired with mahogany, dark gray, or black slab-style cabinets – make a bold statement and add modern, industrial style. Open shelving or glass-front upper cabinets add to this effect.

7. Full-Overlay Cabinets

Full-overlay cabinets have large door and drawer fronts that fully cover the face frame of the cabinets. This creates a sleek, uniform look compared to the more three-dimensional effect of a standard overlay design, which is often used in farmhouse and traditional style kitchens.

Full-overlay cabinets are often used in kitchens where one or more walls are completely covered in cabinets, and this style also lends itself well to hidden appliances.

8. Waterfall Countertops

Waterfall countertops add a unique and polished charm to your contemporary kitchen. Waterfall countertops differ from traditional ones in that they drop vertically down the sides of your lower cabinets or island rather than stopping abruptly at the edge.

Add dimension to waterfall countertops by pairing them with unique color or texture contrasts. For example, opt for white quartz for your waterfall countertops and pair them with darker cabinets and rich wood floors. This draws the eye to the countertops and highlights their sleek lines.

9. Bold Accent Colors

The crisp, clean lines and color schemes that are so characteristic of contemporary kitchen design offer a great opportunity for experimentation when it comes to accent colors and unique or unexpected details.

Slab countertops and full-overlay cabinets in neutral colors can be paired with strategic pops of color or geometric patterns in small doses to achieve a truly unique contemporary style. For example, try neon bar stools and kitchen towels or chairs with patterned upholstery.

10. Under-Cabinet Lighting

Whether you choose to have it installed under your upper cabinets, beneath your lower cabinets (just above the floor), around the base of your kitchen island, or all of the above, under-cabinet lighting creates a modern and sleek ambiance to your contemporary kitchen.

Not only is it stylish, but it also creates excellent lighting for chopping vegetables and cooking meals.

Considering a Remodel? We’re Here to Help with Your Contemporary Kitchen Design

Are you inspired by minimalist, clutter-free design? Do you love the modern convenience of the latest appliances paired with the sleek elegance of flat-front cabinets and slab countertops? If so, a contemporary remodel may be just the thing your kitchen needs.

Work with a designer who understands the ins and outs of every kitchen style, including contemporary. L. Evans Design Group knows how to combine aesthetic beauty with functional design solutions to give you, your family, and your home the new space you’ve always wanted. Check out our kitchen remodel portfolios for ideas

We’d love to discuss your project with you. Call us at (971) 404-1241 or contact us online to get started. In the meantime, check out our kitchen remodel portfolios for inspiration on your future kitchen remodel project.